- You wake up to the sound of the alarm on your mobile phone
- You select a playlist from your iPod for some music to wake you up
- After your shower, you go downstairs and switch on the TV to watch the morning news whilst you have your breakfast
- You surf the net on your phone on the tram journey to work
- At work you are in front of the computer from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave
- You print documents on the wireless printer
- You have a conference with 4 people from different continents around the world via the Internet
- You text your partner on your mobile phone
- After dinner at home, you use your tablet to book a holiday
Think about the different topics that may be covered under the heading of technology. Brainstorm and then think about your opinion on these topics. Write a few ideas down for each and make sure you have the vocabulary you need to express your opinion about each of these topics,
Technology in education and learning
- how it increases learning
- in the classroom
- autonomous learning
- connecting children across the globe
- learning computer skills at school
Computer games
- effects on children's health (mental and physical)
- learning through games
Technology at work
- Social media for marketing
- Telecommunications for meetings without travel
- Working from home
Technology in Commerce
- Buying and selling online
Technology in Healthcare
- Life-saving equipment
You probably need an A4 page for each of these topics and try brainstorming:
- 10 words
- 3 essay questions
- 3 speaking questions
Then, try to answer one of the essay questions and one of the speaking questions, using the new vocabulary. If you type the topic into Google you will probably find articles/ videos talking about those topics, with which you could do some reading and listening practice and take your new vocabulary from there.
Here is an example Writing Task 2 from which you can take some new vocabulary and sentence structures:
Technology affects our everyday lives. Give examples of how technology helps us and discuss any disadvantages that it may bring.
Technology is everywhere. For most of us, technology affects every step of our daily routine and still it is developing and changing at an exponential rate. This essay will discuss the everyday benefits and drawbacks of technology.
The convenience that technology brings cannot be denied For example, the mobile phone means we can keep in touch with people all over the world at all times of the day. So, if we are late for an appointment or have forgotten to order something, we simply pick up our phone wherever we are and the problem is solved. At work technology means we can communicate with clients or colleagues across the globe without having to travel miles to be next to them. Telecommunications and the Internet have made this possible and very easy to achieve, saving companies a great deal of money and time, as travel is not always now necessary. At school, technology has become an integral part of the learning process with the use of computers in the classrooms, mobile phones, smart boards and even lessons carried out through the use of tablets. It definitely opens up the world in front of students' eyes and has allowed students from all over the globe to connect and understand a little of other cultures.
However, many still see its disadvantages and worry about the social and physical impacts technology is having. For instance, some parents claim that their children no longer interact face-to-face with friends and others; everything is done online. They also worry about the effect of mobile phones on children's writing skills, for they tend to use 'textspeak', which often involves incorrect spelling, poor grammar and no punctuation. Occasionally, children adopt this way of communicating and do not realise this is not acceptable in their schoolwork. In addition, they worry that games consoles have made children lazy and anti-social, wanting to spend all their time sitting playing often violent games as opposed to playing outside, exercising and interacting face-to-face with others. Many health officials blame technology for the rise in obesity amongst young people, arguing that they spend the majority of their time sitting down using technology instead of doing sport or playing. Finally, there are now grave dangers associated with the Internet and social media where young people are often tricked by dangerous people into meeting up or people are 'trolled' (bullied) online.
In conclusion, it is clear that technology has had a huge impact on our everyday life and has transformed the way we live, work and interact with others. Its benefits are multitudinous but its dangers should not be ignored.
Vocabulary
infiltrate (v) = get into
exponential (adj) = huge
colleague (n) = person you work with
client (n) = a company's customer
integral (adj) = key
obesity (n) = being overweight
grave (adj) = serious
associated with = connected to
troll (v) = bully/be mean online
transform (v) = change completely
multitudinous (adj) = many, various